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(ModeL) J. 'H. NICHOLSON.

ARTIFICIAL EAR DRUM.

Patented Feb. 17, 1885.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS;

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. NICHOLSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ARTIFICIAL EAR-DRUM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 312,577, dated February 17, 1885.

(Model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

' Be it known that I, JOHN H. NionoLsoN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Artificial Ear-Drum, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved artificial ear-drum to be used by deaf persons.

The invention consists in an artificial eardrum constructed of a magnetized steel rod carrying a soft-rubber disk on each end. The steel rod is provided with a gold or silver covering. The disks are held in place by gold washers, and the disks are provided with ventilating apertures and notches.

Reference is to be had to the accom iianying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate cor responding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of my improved artificial eardrum. Fig. 2 is an outer face View of the rubber disk to be placed in the interior part of the auditory channel. Fig. 3 is an outer face view of the rubber disk to be placed in the inner end of the auditory channel.

A magnetized steel rod, A, is surrounded by a closely-fitting gold or silver tube, B, or the rod can be gold or silver plated; and the said rod is provided at one end with a flat head or but-ton, O. A rubber washer, D, mounted on the rod rests against the inner surface of the head O, and against it a thin rubber disk, H, is placed, which is provided with ventilating-apertures b, and with ventilating-rubbers a in its edge. A gold washer, J, is mounted on the rod A and holds the rub ber washer D and the disk H on the head 0. On the opposite end of the rod A a thin softrubber disk, K, provided with ventilatingnotches a in its edge, is held by two gold washers, L and M, held on opposite sides of the rubber disk. That end of the device carrying the soft rubber diskH is inserted in the auditory channel of the car until the head 0 is adjoining the delicate organs of the ear. The magnetized rod receives the impulses of the air-wave and carries them along and discharges them to the nerve of the ear with slight magnetic force, causing the organs of the ear to take on increased action. The rubber disks H and K hold the device in place in the ear and protect the delicate organs from coming in contact with the gold parts of the device. The front gold washers, M, or disk receives the sound-waves and conveys them to the magnetic rod. The rubber disk K is held 011 the outside part of the ear just out of sight, but within reach of the fingers, to permit inserting and withdrawing the instrument.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. An artificial ear drum made substantially as herein shown and described, and consisting of a magnetized steel rod on each end of which a rubber disk is held, as set forth.

2. In an artificial ear-drum, the combination, with the magnetized steel rod A, having a gold or silver covering, B, of a rubber disk held on each end of the rod, substantially as herein shown and described.

3. In an artificial ear-drum, the combination, with the magnetized steel rod A, having a flat head, 0, of the rubber disks H and K on the ends of the rod, and the rubber washer D and the gold washer J on opposite sides of the disk H, substantially as herein shown and described. I

4. In an artificial ear-drum, the combination, with the magnetized steel rod A, of the rubber disks H and K on the ends of the same, and the gold washers L and M on opposite sides of the disk, substantially as herein shown and described.

5. In an artificial ear-drum, the combination, with a magnetized steel rod, A, of rubber disks held on the ends of the same, which disks have notches in their edges, substantially as herein shown and described.

6. 111 an artificial ear-drum, the combination, with a magnetized steel rod, of the rub ber disks H and K, held on the ends of the rod and provided wit-h notches in their edges, the disk H being provided with apertures b, substantially as herein shown and described.

JOHN H. NICHOLSON.

W'itnesses:

J OHN H. TERHUNE, H. M. HIRscnBERG, Jr. 

